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by Huntress of Sacred Dreams
Summary: 'They will come - with pelts of flame and wings of water - to vanquish those in need.' It was only supposed to be a second chance at life but it turned into so much more. A Clan falling apart from the inside; a war raging on borders; shadows lurking in a place for light. Such events can only end in disaster.
1. Chapter 1: Bus Trip to Disaster

**_Sinking into the Rising Dawn_**

_'They will come - with pelts of flame and wings of water - to vanquish those in need.' _

* * *

_Dead? _

"He can't be dead! Y-y-you're lying! I know you are!" the girl screamed fighting against the two men who held her arms with an iron tight grip.

"I'm sorry, Tamira," a soft voice apologised. Tamira twisted her head to stare at the pudgy, blonde woman who stood with her head bowed. She could feel both sadness and anger at war in her brain. And she wasn't sure if she was supposed to be sad or angry. _Being both is normal right?_ Tamira asked herself.

The woman cleared her throat, drawing Tamira's attention back to her. She felt sympathy for the woman whose job was to tell families that their loved ones had perished; that they would never open their eyes again. "There's no need for you to be sorry," Tamira choked out. "His death wasn't your fault," she glanced down at the woman's name badge, "Francis."

Francis gave a small smile. "Would," she paused as if she was stopping to ask herself if she wanted to say the next words. "Would you like to hear how he died?"

Tamira felt her mouth run dry but nodded any way. "He lost control of his motorbike, hit the side of a car and was thrown from the motorbike. The police suspect that he died almost instantaneously after his head hit the road," Francis revealed. Tamira bowed her head.

A few short hours later, Tamira walked out of the morgue and raised her head to look up at the baby blue sky. She could've sworn the sun shone a little duller than it had when she had first walked into the morgue.

_At least now I know you died with little pain. But...but I miss you so much already, dad. _

* * *

**_*~*~*X*~*~*_**

**_3 Months Later_**

**_*~*~*X*~*~*_**

* * *

The familiar sound of the teacher's heels clicking against the concrete was the only thing Tamira was concentrating on. Her friend's voice was just a mess of tangled voices and words that barely reached her ears. That was until she tapped Tamira on the shoulder. "Are you even listening to me?" she cried.

"Hmm? What? Oh, sorry Cassie. I'm just a bit out of it today," Tamira apologised, nudging Cassie lightly.

Cassie's face fell slightly. "What'd your mother do this time?"

"Just the usual. Yelling, screaming, hurling sharp objects at my head," Tamira replied with a frown. Cassie pulled a face and blurted out a string of curses aimed at Tamira's mother. Thankfully the teacher did not hear any of the words that flew from Cassie's mouth. It would have landed them both in the detention room all day instead of heading out to the rainforest. Tamira wrinkled her nose at the thought of walking through a humid rainforest with a bunch of make-up covered girls all whining about how the heat is going to 'melt' their foundation, or frizz up their hair.

"What are you scowling at, Tamira Stevenson?" came the sharp voice of the teacher.

Tamira jumped at the teacher's voice and flushed as most of the other students turned to stare at her. "Nothing, Mrs Daniels," she replied quickly. Mrs Daniels made a _humph_ noise before continuing to lecture the class on correct behaviour whilst they were at the sanctuary.

"She'll see a spider and run screaming back to the bus," Cassie joked.

Tamira slapped her shoulder, "Spiders are extremely scary creatures! One bite from a poisonous spider could kill me!" Cassie snorted and moved towards the bus door, tugging Tamira along with her.

"Don't forget!" Mrs Daniels squeaked in her high voice. "Best behaviour!"

"Yeah, yeah," Cassie muttered, sitting down on a seat towards the back of the bus. "You," she grabbed Tamira's arm as she walked past, "are sitting right here."

Tamira giggled, "Where else do you think I was going to sit?" Cassie twisted her blonde head and pointed at a black haired boy who was sitting at the very back of the bus. A tall, thin, flawless, brunette draped herself over him, her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Evan Smith. You know, the boy with the black hair who just happens to have Selena Delany hanging off him? Oh and I believe you are slightly obsessed over him," Cassie retorted. "He, is the reason you were about to sit in the seat behind me. And anyway, why would you want to sit any closer to the popular chicks. No one wants to catch their...disease."

Instead of slapping Cassie as she had planned, Tamira collapsed in a fit of giggles. The two friends turned away from the back seat to look straight into a pair of sharp blue eyes. "Laughing at my friends were you?" the owner of the blue eyes snapped.

Cassie flicked her arm in a dismissive manner, "No. Just sharing a joke, Eva." Eva scowled at them before flipping her hair over her shoulder and prancing down to the back of the bus. Squeals of joy soon followed, announcing that Eva had just shared some 'interesting' news. "I wonder how many times you can electrocute a fat prostitute before they die," Cassie murmured thoughtfully, eyeing Eva's back with great interest.

"Don't you dare think about it!" Tamira protested.

Cassie glared at her through her blonde locks. "Too late," she sneered. The bus lurched forward and Tamira flew forwards, smashing her head against the chair in front of her.

"Shit," she cursed under her breath.

Cassie pulled the back of her shirt, hauling Tamira back into a sitting position before checking her forehead. "Only a bruise," she chirped as Tamira tapped her head gingerly. The contents of Tamira's bag had spilt out over the floor, allowing anyone sitting behind the two girls to see everything.

"Oo!" Selena exclaimed, leaning down and swooping up a book. "What's this?"

Tamira felt her heart plummet as she recognised the book cover. An old book her dad had bought for her. The first of a few series but she had never really gotten into the books. But it had always felt special to her. And now it was in the claws of Selena Delany. Who just happened to be sitting on the lap of Evan Smith. The hottest guy in all of tenth grade. "Is that a cat on the front!?" Eva blurted out.

_Dammit!_ The whole entire bus had gone silent as everyone turned to face the back, their eyes fixed on Selena, Eva, Evan and Tamira. Cassie let out a sharp breath, her hazel eyes blazing with anger. She went to stand up but Tamira pushed her back down with one hand. "Let me handle it, Cassie. I don't want you getting into any trouble with them," she whispered. Cassie glared up at her but sat back down.

"Read the title, Selena!" someone called out. Tamira clenched her fists together. Right now all she wanted to do was disappear.

Selena turned the book over with a perfectly manicured hand. "Warriors: Into The Wild," she read. A burst of giggles erupted from the others in the popular group and all eyes turned on Tamira.

"If the cover is correct, I do believe this is a book about cats!" Eva pointed out. "Is it, Tamira?"

Tamira groaned inwardly and took a step forward. "Give it back. That book is important to me," she pleaded, evading Eva's question as well as she could.

"Uh uh," Selena tutted. "First answer Eva's question. And then answer this; how is an old book about cats important to you?"

"Yes. It's a book about cats. And the reason it's important to me is because it was the last thing my dad gave to me before he died!" Tamira snapped, her voice rising with every word. Evan's eyes widened and caught Tamira's eyes. She thought she saw sympathy flit across his face but it was gone before she could really be sure.

Both Eva and Selena shared a glance before Selena turned the book over and read the blurb out loud to everyone. At the end every person on the bus, except Cassie, laughed. Tamira wasn't sure whether their laughter was aimed at her, the book or both. But either way, she still felt terrible. You need to end this now! Her mind screamed at her. She stepped forward and reached her arm out to grab the book. Selena quickly moved the book away from Tamira's grasp. "I think not!" she purred. "A book this stupid shouldn't have even been printed!" Again, everyone laughed.

And that was when Cassie stood up. She looked surprisingly beautiful with her hazel eyes flaming and blonde hair blowing in the wind. "Give her the book back, right now!" she yelled, pacing up the bus until she stood beside Tamira.

"Why would we do that?" Selena asked stupidly.

Cassie looked ready to explode. Or implode. Tamira wasn't sure. "Because prostitutes don't read!" she snapped. Selena narrowed her eyes, standing up, the book still clasped in her hand.

"How dare you call me that!" she muttered darkly. Cassie shot her a fake smile and lunged for the book but not before Selena reached out with her free hand and yanked Cassie's hair back. Cassie let out a strangled yelp of pain as her head was pulled backwards.

"Girls!" Mrs Daniels warned. "Sit down now!" But no one payed any attention to the floozy teacher. Tamira felt rage boil up under her skin and take over her muscles. She felt as if she was losing control of her body. It wasn't until she reached out and slapped Selena across the face, leaving a huge, bright red mark on the snob's face, that she realised she had lost control of her limbs.

Eva placed her hand over her mouth with a little gasp. "Did you just..slap Selena?" Tamira payed no attention to Eva, instead her hands were stretching for the book that was somehow still in Selena's hand. Just before she reached it, a sharp stinging pain exploded on her shoulder and she looked up in shock to see bright blue nails digging into her skin. Selena's nails.

Tamira noticed that if she was to slap Selena again, she would lose any chance of grabbing her book. So, she used her mind and bit down on Selena's hand, sinking her teeth into the soft skin.

A sharp scream of pain burst forth from Selena's chest and she dropped the book.

"What're you girls doing back there?" the bus driver hollered, turning his body away from the front of the bus to glare at the gathered group.

"Keith! The road!" Mrs Daniels shrieked. But it was too late. Keith turned back just to see the bus swerve off the road and plummet through the guard rail.

Everyone who hadn't been in a seat was thrown into the air and Tamira felt her arm smash into one of the seats. Her head smashed into the window, shattering the glass, showering her with tiny shards of thorn sharp claws. They cut into her skin, some cutting so deep that the pieces of glass remained imbedded in her skin. Screams of the other students surrounded her, making the situation even worse.

The constant pain lasted for what seemed like hours. Tamira lost count of how many times her head smashed into something and she knew she could feel blood oozing through her hair. Every part of her body had come in contact with some part of the bus.

Darkness was encroaching on her vision when the bus finally stopped rolling. She crashed into the ground one last time, hearing a sick snap from some part of her body. Her eyes fluttered sideways and her heart skipped a beat.

Evan's green and gold eyes stared back, reflecting what she expected was in her eyes. Pain, fear and uncertainty. Tamira could see blood trickling over the side of his face. It looked so out of place among his black hair. He moved slightly and grimaced. His hand slid over the floor, scraping against the shards of glass and touched Tamira's finger tips.

And then she slid into a black abyss of nothing.

* * *

**AN: I decided to take this down and rewrite it. The first chapter hasn't been changed at all, I only fixed up a few mistakes. However everything after the first chapter I deleted and rewrote so there is no longer a third chapter. I will be updating whenever I get around to typing up the third chapter but I've decided that SitRD will be sort of a project I will go to when I run out of inspiration for Game of Blood. **

**If you really do want me to update more often because you are enjoying the storyline then review me your opinions and thoughts. Thank you. **

**-Hunter**


	2. Chapter 2: Second Beginnings

**_Chapter Two: Second Beginnings _**

_"Will they live?" _

"They must."

_"But will they want to live in the life you have prepared for them?"_

"That will be their choice to make. We cannot make it for them."

_"You sound so certain that these two humans will fit into our world. Do you not worry how they will fare so much change? No longer will they have two legs but four. Their senses will be enhanced beyond anything they have experienced." _

"I am lead to believe that you think this is wrong. Our Clans need the guidance they will bring or they will crumble. Please understand this. You might not be around long enough to witness the hope these two will bring to our Clans."

_"Is that a threat!?"_

"No. But I can see the water through your paws and hear the wind of change whispering through your voice; the signs of a cat on the verge of moving on to the next realm. We will miss your guidance, Frostleap."

_"We are drifting away from our topic by discussing my imminent fading. You are right by saying that I think what we are doing is wrong. Humans belong in their own world, not ours. They are two worlds that should never really overlap; especially not in this way. But if the Council has agreed to this then so must I. She is waking." _

"Then we must speak with her."

**-OOO-**

Her eyes opened to see water reflecting thousands of stars that were obviously twinkling in the sky above her. Billowing white clouds trailed lazily across the night sky, hiding some of the stars from view. _It's beautiful. Is this what the afterlife looks like?_

The sound of gentle footsteps atop fragile water called Tamira's attention away from the reflected stars and over to her left. What she saw surprised her beyond words. A cat – fur a pretty shade of brown – walking gracefully towards her, dark amber eyes reflecting the star filled sky. And then it spoke.

"How are you feeling, Tamira?"

Tamira just stared up at the cat not really understanding anything that was happening. She tried to go over the events of the past day. She'd been in a bus. That bus had crashed. There had been so much pain and then nothing but darkness. And now she was lying in what she thought was water – but she couldn't feel it – staring up at a talking cat. None of it made any sense at all. "H-how do you know my name? Where am I? What happened? Am I dead!?" the questions just spilt from Tamira's jaw before she could stop herself.

The cat simply raised its tail in a silencing gesture. "Calm yourself, child. I will answer all your questions but first answer mine. How are you feeling?"

"Fine, I guess. There's no pain that I can feel." She made an attempt to stand, only to tumble back down to the ground. Her eyes flashed down to her feet but there were no feet there. Instead there was a furry white paw. Confusion once again flitted through Tamira but it was quickly replaced with fear as her heart sped up and her breathing quickened. _What's happening to me!? Why do I have paws!? _

"There's no need to panic." The pretty cat had suddenly appeared beside Tamira, cooing gently into her ear in an effort to comfort the panicking human-turned-cat. "I know your name because I have been watching you for a while now. You are in Eden, the realm where the ancestors of DawningClan, SinkingClan and RisingClan go when they die. The reason you are here is because you died in your world but our world needs your help, so the Council decided that you would be given a second chance at life in our world. Yes, you are dead in your human world."

_She's a female, _Tamira decided, _her voice is very feminine. _Her panic had resided slightly with the answers the cat had given her. _So I'm dead but still alive in another world? And I'm a cat currently in the afterlife of cat kind. Makes sense. _

"I still don't really understand. Are you going to send me back to the living world as a cat?"

"Yes. But we will be sending you to live in one of our Clans instead of sending you back to your own world."

Tamira blinked as sadness overwhelmed her. "Why can't you send me back to my own world? Why can't I go back to my old life and family?"

A soft sigh brushed past the lips of the cat as she rose to her paws and helped Tamira to her own. "You would have had more time in your old life if you hadn't had been in that accident. We didn't plan on receiving you for a few more seasons at least. But your body was too badly damaged to be repaired before your spirit moved on. So we simply plucked your spirit from your dying body and placed it in the body of a cat that died three seasons ago."

"Oh." Tamira understood. Her old life wasn't available to her anymore but a second chance at living was being offered to her; another life where she could make new decisions and change her future entirely. _Well of course my future will be different, you idiot, you'd be a cat instead of a human. _"If I accept will you help me understand the world I'll be sent to?"

"Of course I will. My name is Leafcloud, by the way."

Realisation stunned Tamira at the sound of the cat's name. She'd heard names like that before; in the book her father had given her before he died; the same book that had been the cause of the bus accident that had killed her. Leafcloud's eyes widened as she noticed the change in Tamira. "Are you okay, child?"

"Your name, I've heard names like it before in a book that was given to me. How is that even possible?"

A small smile curled the corners of Leafcloud's muzzle, "Ah. So you've read a few of Erin Hunter's books?"

Tamira shook her head slightly. "Only one," she corrected. "I never really got into the series."

"Understandable. It takes a certain person to enjoy a book about cats living in civilised groups," Leafcloud purred with a flick of her tail, "Erin Hunter is the only other person that has changed between worlds. Accept she went the other way, from cat to human. Then she wrote her memories into a book and I'm sure you know the rest."

Tamira tilted her head to one side, "So everything that happened in the book actually happened?"

"For the first few books, yes. But then the memories started to fade so Erin just made the rest up," Leafcloud answered. "It helps that you read about the other Clans but the Clans you will be sent to are different from the four in the books. DawningClan, SettingClan and SinkingClan have different cultures and ways of living but they aren't too different. So, would you like to start learning?"

"No time like the present," Tamira sighed. What was happening was slowly starting to sink in and things were beginning to make sense. She was going to be given a second life as a cat living in Clans she had believed were just fiction; characters thought up by someone with talent. Apparently they weren't.

Leafcloud smiled brightly. "My three Clans don't worship StarClan like the others. They worship Eden and the Council. Eden is the afterlife for those cats whilst the Council are the rulers over all of us. You are standing in Eden right now, more accurately you are standing in the very middle of Eden, in the Welcoming Lake. All cats that have died appear in this lake where they are welcome by the one cat that they cared about the most. Eden goes on forever, you will never reach the end of it if you walk in a straight line, but most cats stay within the discovered parts. The Council were the ones that gave me permission to bring you here so that I could teach you all you needed to know about the Clans."

"The Council and I have decided that you will become part of DawningClan. We believe that you hold all the necessary skills and personality to be a great asset to DawningClan. At the precise moment the leader of DawningClan is Silentstar, daughter of Lionfang and Snowdrop. She has been leader for five moons I believe so she's fairly new but the Clan trusts her with their lives. Silentstar was named specifically for DawningClan's infamous stealthy ways by her parents. Littlefoot is the current deputy, named for his abnormally small paws. He is fair to all cats but can be judgemental at times. I recommend you try not to get on his bad side. Finally, Blackfeather is DawningClan's medicine cat. However her apprentice, Redflower, is expected to take over soon due to Blackfeather's old age. Both are nice cats."

"Now one of the reasons my three Clans are different to those Erin lived in is that each Clan has a symbol that the leader wears on a chain. DawningClan's is a silver owl with outstretched wings. Silentstar wears it on a silver chain around her left ankle in remembrance of her mother whom died drawing a mountain lion away from the Clan's camp. RisingClan's symbol is a roaring golden lion with one paw held high in a stance of pride. Flarestar – SettingClan's current leader – where's it on a golden chain around his neck as a way of showing that he does not fear his kittypet lineage. A kittypet is a housecat, by the way," Leafcloud added. "SinkingClan's symbol is a black snake with red eyes that Smokestar wears around his right hind leg on a black chain as a reminder of his Clan's powerful hind legs that have aided them in many battles." The pretty cat scrunched her eyes closed and then opened them again as if she had been thinking of anything else to add to her speech.

"Oh. Female cats are called she-cats and male cats are called toms. Each cat has a rank within the Clan that comes with certain rules. Kits are kittens up until the age of six moons, and then they become apprentices and are trained by a mentor. After being trained by their mentor for as long as they need, apprentices then become warriors and receive warrior names. Deputies are second in command and will either serve out their time until they die or retire. Leaders receive nine lives from the Council and will rule for as long as they must. Medicine cats are the healers of the Clan and are the cats that are closest to Eden. They share dreams with cats from Eden and occasionally from the Council. But medicine cats give up their lives to serve Eden; they cannot take mates or have kits and mustn't involve themselves in conflict between Clans."

Tamira felt a little dizzy at all the information she was taking in. It all sounded so intricate, life in the Clans. _I hope I don't screw my second chance at life up because I can't remember something. _"Have I lost you?" Leafcloud's concerned voice sounded in Tamira's ear.

"No, I've understood it all. There's just a lot of information," she answered. "Is there anything else I need to know?"

Leafcloud shook her head, "If you were to know too much then the Clans might get suspicious. Everything else will be taught to you by the Clan. I must ask you this, Tamira, and you must answer me truthfully. Do you really want to give up your afterlife as a human to live a second life as a cat?"

The human-turned-cat hung her head with a sigh, eyes focusing on the stars reflecting in the black water beneath her paws. She truly did not know how to answer Leafcloud's question. She wanted a chance to live a second life but…but if she said no then she'd go to heaven – or wherever humans went after they died – and see her father again. The decision was hard. Both choices were good; but only one of them offered life. And that was when her decision became clear.

"My human life has come to an end; it ended in that bus crash. I would be a fool to turn down a second chance at life. So I accept your offer to live a second life as a cat." Tamira inhaled a deep breath to steady herself. _I hope I don't have to make more decisions like this. _

Leafcloud purred loudly and flicked Tamira's flank with her brown tail. "I am glad you have chosen to become a cat, it's a life you will surely enjoy. Are you ready to leave Eden?"

"I guess so. There's no reason for me to stay any longer. Leafcloud," she paused before continuing with her question, "will I ever see you again?"

"Oh, of course, child! I have been selected to be your guardian so I will meet with you in your dreams from time to time. I'll always be watching over you from Eden so you will never truly be alone," Leafcloud exclaimed with a reassuring smile. Tamira sighed before attempting a weak smile. She felt a little better knowing that Leafcloud would be watching over her. "Just lie back down and close your eyes. When you wake up you will be back in the living world about to begin your new life as a cat."

The human-turned-cat did as she was told; folding her paws up underneath her soft fur. She caught a glimpse of vivid blue eyes in her reflection in the water before they slid closed as a sudden desire to sleep overwhelmed her. All her muscles and bones ached with exhaustion. It was as if she had spent the entire day running and now all she wanted to do was collapse into her bed and sleep.

_"I hope she does not fail, Leafcloud, or the Council will be outraged." _A second voice rustled like wind in Tamira's ear as her breathing began to deepen.

"She will not fail."

Then all was silent.


	3. Chapter 3: Shade of Night

**Chapter Three: Shade of Night**

Cold air seeped into her lungs as she took in a shaky breath, tasting the scents that rushed in with it. Most of them she couldn't identify. It was just a jumbled mess of strong smells mixed with weaker scents. Sharp sounds pierced her ears. From where she lay crumpled on the forest floor she could hear the screeching call of some bird, the leaves crunching under some creature's feet and the low murmur of voices. But over it all she could hear the babble of a nearby river.

A twig snapped and lurched her heart into overdrive. What creature was lurking in the shadows? What animal was waiting to devour her? In an instant her eyes snapped open, allowing soft light to flood in. When the light died down she was allowed to see her surroundings. A small grassy clearing ringed by bushes that were dotted with pretty blue flowers. Tall cedar trees reached towards the baby blue sky that could be seen through the holes in the lime green canopy. Beyond the clearing there was wild undergrowth made up of all sorts of plants and trees.

"Can you smell that?"

It was a soft voice that could be heard carried by the wind, melodic almost. But it struck fear into her heart because she did not know to whom the voice belonged to. Nor did she know whether Leafcloud had sent her to the right place. Her heart rate picked up as did her breathing. Everything was overwhelming. The scents. The sounds. The sights. All of it was too much.

"What can you smell, Snowpaw?"

A different voice sounded, this time deep and rumbling. It spoke of a name that sounded eerily familiar to her; a name that she'd heard in a book a long time ago. Her breathing eased a little knowing that Leafcloud had sent her to a Clan. She just wasn't sure it if was the Clan she was supposed to be sent to.

"It smells like a cat! But not a Clan cat, at least it doesn't smell like our Clan or any of the other Clans. I think it's a loner or a rogue."

_Clan cat…I'm not a Clan cat but I want to be. Please find me. Please let me into your Clan. Please give me a home and a new life. M-my voice, it won't work…why? _

"I can hear breathing coming from over here."

Another voice, different to the two before, answered with a dull, bored, almost depressed tone. Footsteps sounded closer than earlier as whoever was stalking through the undergrowth stalked nearer. Her hopes soared higher the closer the footsteps got. _You're going to find me! You're going to find me and take me back to your home where I will be welcomed with open arms and given a new home._

"Here, I've found the cat."

Yet another voice but this time smooth, sweet and obviously feminine. It was a voice that sounded so much like her mother's did, back when her mother was loving and kind, back when her family was a family. Her eyes shifted to look over at the undergrowth that now rustled violently. Four cats appeared from the shadows of the foliage, all of them staring at her with curious eyes.

"She doesn't look injured." The deep rumbling voice from earlier spilled from the mouth of a large brown tom, his flanks highlighted by darker stripes and face stained a lighter brown. He came closer, green eyes searching her body for any signs of injury. "No blood, no broken limbs and strangely enough not a single scar on her body. Whoever this is Eden has certainly been kind to her."

A smaller cat, fur the colour of snow tainted by silver tabby markings, looked up at the large brown mal- tom cat. "How do you know that it's a girl, Dustface?" Her voice was melodic and feminine. It suited such a pretty looking cat. _Dustface…so that's his name. _

The tom named Dustface shifted his paws uncomfortably as he glanced down at the smaller cat. "Her, uh, face looks feminine. Snowpaw, those kinds of questions are best answered by your parents."

There was a snort of laughter that came from a blue cat whose fur was tinged with silver and spattered with white spots. "Oh I'm sure Iceclaw will be pleased to know that you sent his daughter after him with questions like that, Dustface." _Another female..but her voice sounds so much like my mother's..it's wonderful. _

"Aren't we forgetting about something?" _Ah, there's that depressed sounding voice from before, too deep to be a female, must be a male, uh, tom. _His fur was the colour of ash, highlighted by darker stripes and lightened by black paws. He indicated to her with a flick of his tail.

Dustface met the ash coloured tom's light amber eyes with his own green gaze. "Lighten up, Ashfang." Then his green eyes flitted down, caught and held her gaze. "What is your name and what are you doing on DawningClan territory?"

Sudden panic flared up in her chest. _Will they think less of me because my voice refuses to work? Will they just leave me here to die!? I so hope they don't. _She opened her mouth but again her voice refused to work and she was left staring up at the cats with her jaw wide open.

"I don't think she can speak," the older female – she-cat – murmured. "My name is Rainwhisper. We aren't going to hurt you, just take you back to our camp so that our medicine cat can look at you. You can hear us, right?"

She nodded frantically. _Yes I can hear you! Thank you so very much for not leaving me behind, you have no idea how much I wish I could thank you with my own voice! _

Rainwhisper's muzzle quirked up into a small smile of relief. "Dustface, Ashfang," she twisted her head to look at the two toms, "you two need to carry her on your backs back to camp. Snowpaw and I will walk behind you and make sure you don't drop her."

"Why do we have to do all the heavy lifting?" Ashfang spat dryly. Despite his question he moved over to her side and began to heave her white body onto Dustface's back. He came to an abrupt stop when his amber eyes connected with her own blue ones. Recognition seem to flit across his face before it contorted into an expression of loss followed by love. "How?" his voice was nothing more than a mere whisper that made its way into her ear.

_Why are you looking at me like that!? I haven't said anything or done anything! Wait…you don't recognise me, do you? I know Leafcloud said I'd be borrowing another cat's body but she said that that cat died seasons ago…she didn't lie did she? _

"Mouse got your tongue, Ashfang?" Snowpaw smirked earning herself a scowl from Ashfang and a warning growl from Dustfang. _They act like a close family, teasing each other, laughing with each other. _

"Both of you stop bickering like a pair of old elders and help me carry her," Dustface grunted.

Snowpaw stuck her tongue out and returned to Rainwhisper's side whilst Ashfang –albeit ungratefully – accepted some of her weight onto his back.

_Oh how I wish I could, _"thank you." _My voice! It's coming back! Sure it's a little croaky but it's better than nothing." _

"Did you just speak?" the pure astonishment in Dustface's voice was enough to draw a small giggle from the depths of her chest.

"I-I did, yes." _Oh how wonderful it feels to be able to speak again. _"My name is Tamira and I do not know how I ended up in…DawningClan territory. I can't remember much." Darkness suddenly began to encroach on Tamira's vision as a sudden pain in her heart chased a gasp from her throat. The last thing she heard before she slipped into unconsciousness was Snowpaw's anxious voice asking her if she was okay.

_A mean cackle – tainted with malice and dripping with bloodlust – sounded in her ears as Tamira's eyes snapped open. Instead of seeing the Clan cats she had been found by or the forest she had ended up in all she could see was blackness stretching for as far as her eyes could see. From the darkness rose spindly trees. Bark flaked from the tree's trunk and gnarled branches stretched out towards the sky like claws. No leaves held onto the thin branches. They were all bare. Weeds pushed up from the swampy ground and dark mist hugged close to the ground. Everything looked like it was on the verge of death. _

_A pair of icy cold amber eyes so dark in colour that that were nearly orange stared at her from the shadows. "Oh, child, you do not know what you have gotten yourself into. You should've turned down Leafcloud's offer when you had the chance." _

_"Who are you?" Tamira demanded, unknowingly flattening her ears against her skull. It was still a strange feeling having ears, a tail and four legs, not to mention fur. A slight pinch of fear had gripped her heart. How had she so easily jumped from one forest to another?_

_A cat slid from the shadows, fur a red colour marred by black splashes. _She's a she-cat, _Tamira decided; _her face is too narrow and feminine to be that of a male cat's. _"Nightshade at your service," the she-cat bowed low to the ground, fur brushing against the mud and muck. She strained her neck to look up at Tamira from her bow, eyes narrowed angrily. _

_Tamira hurriedly bowed low to the ground as well figuring that it was rude for Clan cats not to bow in return. A happy purr sounded from Nightshade as the red she-cat straightened up, gesturing to for her to do the same. "I'm glad we have finally gotten to meet, human. Your tale is certainly an interesting one. Not many Clan cats can brag about being a human in a past life." _

_Suspicion suddenly arose in Tamira's mind. How did this cat know so much about humans and about her? "How do you know so much about humans?" _

_"I'm an old friend of Leafcloud's," Nightshade replied quickly. "She has told me much about you and how you're supposed to sacrifice your life to save DawningClan." _

_"Sacrifice my life!? Leafcloud hasn't said anything to me about that! Does he expect me to just give up the life I've only just been given to save a Clan I haven't even seen yet!?" Maybe it was the fear at dying again that made Tamira so angry. How could Leafcloud expect her to die again? Did Leafcloud give her a second chance at life just so that she could be used as a pawn?_

_Nightshade batted her almost orange eyes in an innocent manner. "Oops, I thought she'd told you." A smirk appeared on the red she-cats muzzle. "Oh well, at least now you know but I don't recommend you bring this up with Leafcloud for a while. She herself doesn't truly know if your death will be necessary. If you do then she will tell you when you are ready." _

_"What if I don't want to die to save DawningClan!? How am I supposed to tell Leafcloud that? What if she forces me to die!?" Panic had now overcome Tamira as she stared at Nightshade with wide, fear-filled blue eyes. _

_The red she-cat murmured comforting words as she patted the fretting human-turned-cat on the back with her tail tip. "I can help you prove to Leafcloud that you don't need to die to save DawningClan. I can teach you how to use the power you have been given to your advantage. If you let me I can save you from sacrifice…but only if you let me by promising me that you'll always listen to my advice."_

_Tamira glanced down at her mud-covered paws, going over the decision in her mind. With Nightshade's help she could prove to Leafcloud that she was strong enough to save DawningClan from whatever the Clan needed saving from without having to die. She'd be able to live a full life and die a happy, old cat. Plus Nightshade seemed like the cat that wanted to help despite the foul looking forest she lived in. Maybe it would give her an advantage in learning to be a cat if she had two mentors. _

_"I promise that I'll always listen to your advice," she answered smoothly. _

_Nightshade's orange gaze lit up as the world around Tamira began to fade and become fuzzy. Through the fading world and blackness that had begun to encroach on her vision Nightshade's voice rang out loud and clear. "Don't tell a single soul about your second mentor." _

_Then all was black. _

* * *

**AN: I swear I am working on Crimson Moon, it's just taking time. The last two chapters need to be good. Anyway, I decided to finish up this chapter so that I can start working towards the major plot points of SitRD. One of the major points will probably be slightly controversial, or at least it will with the way I write it. **

**-Hunter**


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